Opportunities to engage in Japan's major global sporting events

This world location news article was published under
the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Major opportunities for UK exporters to win business around the 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Japan.

UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) Japan has been laying the ground work to help companies win business around the 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

An important Host2Host agreement was signed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during his visit to London in May 2014. Since then, UKTI Japan has been working with partners in the UK and Japan to strengthen and extend relationships within the Global Sports sector.

Both the 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games represent excellent opportunities for UK companies to win business and showcase their expertise.

Accessing opportunities

UKTI Japan aims for the UK to be chosen as Japan’s planning and delivery partner in the run up to Tokyo 2020. Ultimately the goal is for UK products and services to be viewed as equal to domestic alternatives.

A 4 step strategy has been developed in order to achieve these aims:

Share lessons from London 2012

Build partnerships in public and private sectors

Brief and advise companies entering Japanese markets

Link UK companies to partners and clients

How to get involved

With Tokyo 2020 less than 6 years away it’s important to explore market opportunities now.

Interested businesses are encouraged to watch our free webinar on Wednesday 21 January which will provide a full update on the current opportunities and latest developments.

You can keep up-to-date with the latest news and activities via our dedicated Olympics 2020 page on Export to Japan.

Connect directly with our team for advice and support on market entry.

Raising awareness of UK global sport capability

The UKTI Japan team in Tokyo have led a number of initiatives to increase dialogue and raise awareness of UK global sporting capabilities:

June 2014: UK-Japan Olympic Cooperation Week at the British Embassy Tokyo

The Japanese government showed great interest in sharing information and learning from the London 2012 Olympic legacy. At the forefront of discussions was the UK’s experience of games master planning, management, communications and legacy.

October 2014: Security Seminar in conjunction with the Special Equipment Exhibition and Conference for Anti-Terrorism (SEECAT)

This event involved both government and industry bodies, resulting in positive interest for UK expertise in security, safety and cyber security.

November 2014: UKTI Global Sports Trade Mission to Japan in conjunction with Transport for London (TFL)

19 UK companies participated with over 150 Japanese buyers in attendance.